DuSable Museum of African American History
The DuSable Museum of African American History began as a gallery in the private home of Charles and Margaret Burroughs. In 1971 the collection moved to its current home, becoming the country's first museum tracing African American History.
Named for Haitian fur trader Jean Baptist Pointe DuSable, the museum is home to books, slave documents, memorabilia from the civil rights movement as well as other historic items marking history in the U.S. Topics covered range from the Black Panthers to Chicago's great blues musicians to Sun Ra and the late Mayor Harold Washington.
A strong art and photography collection tracks the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, for example, and portrays the works of painters and sculptors such as Archibald Motley, Charles White, Henry Ossawa Tanner and Elizabeth Catlett.
While its collections remain rather small, the museum has expansion plans that will turn it into a museum campus, housing a grand entrance, library, new galleries, children's section and expanded museum store. The expansion takes place in the 61,000 square foot Roundhouse, built as a horse stable and designed by Daniel H. Burnham.
This is a great Chicago museum to visit, not only for its growing collection but also because of the neighborhood where it is located and its placement in beautiful Washington Park.
While you may only need three hours or so to visit the museum, plan for a full day so you can explore the park and the neighboring Hyde Park community, home to the University of Chicago and the Chicago residence of President Obama.
Posted by Lori Rotenberk
